Trial production of Apple's thinner and lighter fifth-generation iPad is rumored to begin soon, with full-scale volume production to kick off in July, according to a new report.

Alleged details on Apple's next full-size iPad were reported on Monday by hit-or-miss tech industry publication DigiTimes. As usual, the report cited unnamed sources within Taiwan's supply chain, which have been known to provide unreliable information, but do sometimes prove accurate.

This time, those sources claim the new iPad will hit shelves as early as September. The device is expected to have a thinner glass substrate, down from 0.25 millimeters to 0.2 millimeters, along with GF2 touchscreen technology.

These changes expected in the fifth-generation iPad would make the device not only thinner, but significantly lighter. Monday's report claimed Apple could shed as much as 33 percent of the weight from the current 9.7-inch iPad.

In addition, it was said that the next iPad will use just one LED light bar for backlighting. To date, all Retina display iPads have featured two LED light bars.

Panels for the next iPad are expected to come from LG Display, Samsung Display and Sharp. Other various suppliers cited by DigiTimes are TPK Holding, Coretronic, Radiant Opto-Electronics, and Taiwan Surface Mounting Technology.

Lending at least some credibility to the report is the fact that some of the details align with what well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities indicated in April. In addition to GF2 screen technology, Kuo also expects the next iPad to have a smaller battery, 15 percent thinner frame, and smaller bezels like the iPad mini.

I want the iPad 5 to be as thin as the iPad 2. But then software must be the real killer. As it stands, I have no complaints whatsoever about the iPad 4

I can't decide if I want an iPad 5. My iPad 4 works just fine. But it would be nice to see if the thinner bezels it is rumored to have an nice or it will mean more fingerprints on the screen to hold it.

Tallest Skil:

"Eventually Google will have their Afghanistan with Oracle and collapse" "The future is Apple, Google, and a third company that hasn't yet been created."

The reduction of the glass substrate is most likely the least of the reasons for the weight reduction. 1/20 of a millimetre? Come on. The smaller battery, but mostly the thinner, smaller far lighter chassis is the reason.

I want the iPad 5 to be as thin as the iPad 2. But then software must be the real killer. As it stands, I have no complaints whatsoever about the iPad 4

No complaints? It's my favourite product I've ever owned, but I have many requests to improve it. A faster backlight. A much improved OS that looks more modern and takes into account how I use the device more, and makes everything easier to do. A weight reduction. An even better camera. A more optimised OS for its proc. It's twice as fast, but has never felt it. But the most apposite improvement requests I have for iPad are improved speakers. I want speakers at least three times better than the crap the put in there. How do they do that? I don't know, it's not my job to know. But at the very least they need to seriously address this issue. And yes, it is an issue. I can never cook and hear my iPad properly. This is 2013. Apple are the experts, I want to see them pay more attention to speakers. For example, the speakers in my new iMac sound worse than my 5 year old iMac. I'm not gong to explain that last point. Suffice it say they do sound worse, and no, there is nothing wrong with them. The 5 mm chin was just a shitty trade off, and ultimately a bad design decision. This has actually put me off recommending the iMac as a product, and my last previous 4 computers were iMacs. That's five iMacs in a row I've owned.Edited by Ireland - 5/20/13 at 6:04am

Meh, The iPad 4 is powerful enough to run Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows XP with all those viruses at the same time, while giving all day battery life.

My point is: We need something to take advantage of the iPad, before worrying about more horsepower, no?

I'm not talking about "heavier" programs, I'm talking about more functionality. Isn't it time to toy with the Apple Thunderbolt display? Put the thing (iPad) run OSX 10.9 when docked to the thunderbolt display, for example. Bang, the hybrids from Google and Microsoft are dead.

...... improvement requests I have for iPad are improved speakers. I want speakers at least three times better than the crap the put in there. How do they do that? I don't know, it's not my job to know. But at the very least they need to seriously address this issue. And yes, it is an issue. I can never cook and hear my iPad properly.

Thre you go again complaining about speaker quality. This time on a handheld device, of all things!

The reduction of the glass substrate is most likely the least of the reasons for the weight reduction. 1/20 of a millimetre? Come on. The smaller battery, but mostly the thinner, smaller far lighter chassis is the reason.

33% is HUGE. I just can't see it.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

The reduction of the glass substrate is most likely the least of the reasons for the weight reduction. 1/20 of a millimetre? Come on. The smaller battery, but mostly the thinner, smaller far lighter chassis is the reason.

33% is HUGE. I just can't see it.

Indeed. And that won't come from thinner glass. Battery looks like the best candidate for weight reduction.

Exactly. Bad speakers in Apple products are my fault. I need to shut up and quit spouting my honest opinion.

Grow up.

I totally agree. If newer revisions are worse than the older versions in any way, that's bad.
Who the hell wants to lug around Bluetooth speakers with a mobile device.
The form over function speakers/SD card slot/no DVD drive on the iMac has put me off upgrading.

The new iPad really does need better forward facing speakers, oh, and 2 of them please.

Exactly. Bad speakers in Apple products are my fault. I need to shut up and quit spouting my honest opinion.

Grow up.

I totally agree. If newer revisions are worse than the older versions in any way, that's bad.
Who the hell wants to lug around Bluetooth speakers with a mobile device.
The form over function speakers/SD card slot/no DVD drive on the iMac has put me off upgrading.

The new iPad really does need better forward facing speakers, oh, and 2 of them please.

It doesn't need, but I would like that too.

About the iMac: you have no reason at all. The speakers are much better, DVD is useless, SD is fine. The computer itself is just leagues above the competition, especially form an engineering point of view.

About the iMac: you have no reason at all. The speakers are much better, DVD is useless, SD is fine. The computer itself is just leagues above the competition, especially form an engineering point of view.

I keep reading comments on the Internet to the effect that the new iMac has "bad" speakers but the very first thing everyone I know who's actually bought one and uses it says when they turn it on is … "Wow, sounds a lot better."

The new iMac has noticeably deeper richer sound than all previous models which already sounded pretty damn good.

And while we're at it, could we stop with using the term "bad sound?"

None of Apple's products have ever had "bad" sound.

They may not have sufficiently good sound if you are some kind of audiophile nut, but to say that it's "bad" is just incorrect.

One can only rightly describe the audio as "bad" if most people agree so. They don't.

No complaints? It's my favourite product I've ever owned, but I have many requests to improve it.

(1)A faster backlight.[2] A much improved OS that looks more modern and takes into account how I use the device more, and makes everything easier to do.

[3] A weight reduction.

[4] An even better camera.

[5] A more optimised OS for its proc. It's twice as fast, but has never felt it.

[6] But the most apposite improvement requests I have for iPad are improved speakers. I want speakers at least three times better than the crap the put in there. How do they do that? I don't know, it's not my job to know. But at the very least they need to seriously address this issue. And yes, it is an issue. I can never cook and hear my iPad properly. This is 2013. Apple are the experts, I want to see them pay more attention to speakers. For example, the speakers in my new iMac sound worse than my 5 year old iMac. I'm not gong to explain that last point. Suffice it say they do sound worse, and no, there is nothing wrong with them. The 5 mm chin was just a shitty trade off, and ultimately a bad design decision. This has actually put me off recommending the iMac as a product, and my last previous 4 computers were iMacs. That's five iMacs in a row I've owned.

1 - huh? What's slow about it now?

2 - so how much time do you spend "in the OS" vs. how much time you spend in Apps? Me: 1 vs. 99% --- If you're into OS tweaking, I've heard there's an alternative out there that would fit you just fine and it's all you can do, because the App experience is appalling!

3 - speculated in this rumour... and I surely wouldn't bet against that coming true.

4 - OK... I'll go with that.. but I imagine that's also a "given".

5 - More optimized? It's probably the most efficient and low-profile OS in existence, other than bare-bones UNIX. It's why the iOS experience is smoother than the competitors by an order 2, with half the processor power and RAM. But yes, it will be improved upon I'm sure.

6 - Anan. already replied succinctly to my thoughts on the matter

Knowing what you are talking about would help you understand why you are so wrong. By "Realistic" - AI Forum Member

Yes, were it to get an IGZO display that sips power they could back off on the available power if the goal was to lighten it up along the lines of the iPad mini and the iPhone 5.

I don't think Apple could reduce the weight by 33% without shrinking the battery by at least 25%, which would require a new, more efficient screen technology. The screen consumes most of the battery power. IGZO-based OLED isn't ready yet, and when it is, I would expect to see very small screens first. (Hint: iWatch.) But IGZO-based LCD could be ready for mass production by now.

IGZO conductors have anywhere from 20 times to 40 times better electron mobility (lower resistance) than the current amorphous silicon. That could drastically cut back on power use. IGZO also has better transparency than amorphous silicon. And apparently IGZO-based LCD screens don't need to be constantly refreshed like current LCD screens. If the image isn't moving, no refresh is needed. That saves even more power, especially in smartphones and pads showing home screens etc.

The reduction of the glass substrate is most likely the least of the reasons for the weight reduction. 1/20 of a millimetre? Come on. The smaller battery, but mostly the thinner, smaller far lighter chassis is the reason.

It all adds up so any little bit of weight shed will help. I understand the case will be filled with Helium too. /s

"That (the) world is moving so quickly that iOS is already amongst the older mobile operating systems in active development today." — The Verge

... Isn't it time to toy with the Apple Thunderbolt display? Put the thing (iPad) run OSX 10.9 when docked to the thunderbolt display, for example. Bang, the hybrids from Google and Microsoft are dead. …

This makes no sense. In the first case, it's only value would be more screen real estate because the way you describe it, it can only run OS X programs when connected to the Thunderbolt display. It also makes no sense because if the iPad was powerful enough to run desktop OS X when connected to the display, then why not do it all the time? If instead you mean using it as an extra screen on your desktop, that functionality is already available.

The only way it makes any sense at all is if the iPad ran both OS's simultaneously all the time like Windows 8 does. And if that's what you think is a good idea then you know nothing about iPads at all.

Lighter weigh, better speakers are good additions along with a longer battery life.

Don't mention speakers, you'll be attacked around here. For whatever oddball reason some folks on this forum are very defensive when it comes to speaker criticism of Apple's products. Heck, I was asked to buy external speakers when I complained that my new ALL-IN-ONE iMac has worse speakers than its five year old counterpart. "They aren't meant for music, anyway" - one of the more hilarious replies.

5 - More optimized? It's probably the most efficient and low-profile OS in existence, other than bare-bones UNIX. It's why the iOS experience is smoother than the competitors by an order 2, with half the processor power and RAM. But yes, it will be improved upon I'm sure.

I'll repeat. The iPad 4 was 2X faster then the iPad 3. If the OS was more optimises for the A7 I'd notice this more. Seriously, double the speed difference and I never noticed it? That wasn't a question.

I keep reading comments on the Internet to the effect that the new iMac has "bad" speakers but the very first thing everyone I know who's actually bought one and uses it says when they turn it on is … "Wow, sounds a lot better."

They don't sound better. I've own 4 iMacs. This is my fourth. My last was 5 years old. Because of the thin chin the sound sounds like it's being funnelled through the chin. I've tested this extensively, even side by side with the old product. It's worse. It's worse. It's worse.

I totally agree. If newer revisions are worse than the older versions in any way, that's bad.
Who the hell wants to lug around Bluetooth speakers with a mobile device.
The form over function speakers/SD card slot/no DVD drive on the iMac has put me off upgrading.

The new iPad really does need better forward facing speakers, oh, and 2 of them please.

It needs something. It's actually the iPads weakest point. Next up is heft, but it looks like they will be address that point.

Don't mention speakers, you'll be attacked around here. For whatever oddball reason some folks on this forum are very defensive when it comes to speaker criticism of Apple's products.

I won't attack you for disliking the speakers because I'm something of an audiophile myself, but having said that I never expect mass market products like phones, tablets, and computers to have quality speakers.